Custom Tool Set

Smith Machine and Tool is the global leader in manufacturing bearing staking tooling. While we manufacture standard bearing tooling, custom tooling is our specialty. We're excited to highlight a recently completed custom project of a tool kit to repair a large landing gear bearing.

A customer needed a custom tool set for a very large bearing on a large military transport aircraft. The tool kit requested included a drill press roller swaging tool, a portable cutting tool, and a portable proof load, install removal tool. Mixing portable and machine based (drill or arbor press) tooling for a tool kit is something SMT offers to allow a customer to complete their job with as much ease as possible. In this case, the customer requested a drill press roller swaging tool, as opposed to a portable tool like the rest of the kit, because they have the capabilities to drill press a bearing like that. In addition, the part they are working is 150-200lbs (68-91kg) to where some of the bearing tooling applications rendered it to be easier to do portably.

The size of the bearing had 4.75” (12.065cm) diameter. While we’ve created tooling for bearings with a 4” (10.16cm) diameter, this was the largest tooling we’ve created. While engineering these tools, we had to take into consideration the weight of the tool for operators, ergonomics and ease of use, and any obstacle clearance restrictions with the part. Our cutting tool was designed to be used with a socket wrench to complete the operation faster compared to competitors who provide a spanner wrench which is cumbersome, difficult to operate, and slows down the overall process. This kit also featured a 50,000lbs proof load device with a portable battery-operated digital readout device. This device allows our customer to do portable proof-loading as compared to doing it on a hydraulic press, furthering our commitment to anticipating what will allow the customer to complete the job as efficient, easy, and accurate as possible.

The customer chose to work with SMT because we are one of the only companies that can make a tool kit of this size within a reasonable lead time. We maintain a wide raw material inventory and had the material in stock to complete this tool set within a few weeks (our standard lead time for a custom tool set). We were able to internationally ship this freight order on a Saturday and it was delivered 4 days later on Tuesday. To allow for easy storage, we had the entire kit packed in a water and shock proof roller case that has multiple layers of foam to protect the tooling.

We’re immensely proud of how this tool kit turned out. It strengthened our ability to provide tooling for even the largest aircraft bearings all within our standard lead time with safe and quick shipping.

BEARING NUMBERS: KMDB48-20